Video: Justin Kievit loses wrestling match, wins ‘great kid’ award

A college friend posted this video on Facebook with the note, “This gives me hope in humanity. This 12 year old has more wisdom than many adults I know.”

The 12-year old, Justin Kievit, wrestled 13-year old Jared Stevens last week in Tennessee. Officially, Jared won the match, but watch the video and see an act of compassion that transcends a middle school wrestling match.

If you’re the parent of a kid like Justin, you’re doing something right. Be proud of his kindness. If you have a kid like Jared, who is intellectually fine but with severe cerebral palsy, you want him to experience life as fully as he can. You want him to be included, to feel like a regular kid.

If that means he gets carried onto a wrestling mat so he can hear the cheers of the crowd and the official’s whistle signaling victory, then that’s what you do.